


About Last Night

by gutterpupper



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bands, Complicated Relationships, Crushes, Dating, M/M, Music, Pining, Slow Build, Slow Burn, teenage romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:02:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25224328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gutterpupper/pseuds/gutterpupper
Summary: Senior year at high school and Finn can't wait for it to be over. Being outed made his last few years difficult and he was ready to move on. But when he develops a crush on Mitch, a guy his best friend Lissie introduces him to, he starts to take a few risks to put himself out there. When Mitch and Lissie become a thing, he knows he should let it go, but when alcohol is involved, mistakes are easier to make.
Relationships: Michael "Mitch" Rust/Finn Davenport
Comments: 6
Kudos: 16
Collections: Another Wasted Night AU





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [muepin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/muepin/gifts).



> _AU: Another Wasted Night_
> 
> So Muepin and I had an idea that we discussed out about putting his Mitch into an alternative universe where he is in high school with my Finn and Lissie with all of them being eighteen and in their senior year. Muepin has been really supportive about the idea of exploring different scenarios and we quite liked this one. It is really fun to see the trouble Finn gets into over a crush on a boy and how Mitch reacts to this. 
> 
> There will be teenage drama, heart-break, and complicated relationships amount the smut so I hope it will keep you on the edge of your seat for each chapter! Please be sure to subscribe to the fic for updates when new chapters get released! Tags will be updated as they become relevant to the story. Whereas chapter 1 does not have anal and oral, it will happen along with other themes.
> 
>  **Content warning:** This is a work of fiction that will feature various elements of dating and relationship, including cheating and sexual exploration. Please understand that this is a work of fiction only and is only intended to tell a story. If this type of story content upsets you, please refrain from reading.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wishing his life away at highschool, Finn is struggling to find his place at school since being outed. When Lissie introduces him to a member of a rock band that she likes, Finn gains a crush in someone he never expected to have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The header for the story was created by [Muepin](https://twitter.com/mue_nsfw) where he drew younger teenage Mitch with Finn and Lissie. He gave me permission to turn it into this little header to promote the fiction.

The worst thing about being outed in high school at sixteen was that suddenly everyone knew your name for all the wrong reasons. For Finn Davenport, nearly everyone knew him before he was outed as bisexual, something he had hoped would _never_ happen till he was as far away from a school environment as possible. Now if there was a single soul that didn’t manage to know his name through his relationship with head cheerleader Suzanna Catterson, it was highly probable they would know who he was now.

He and Suzanna had been tipped as the most well-known and popular couple in middle-school and that had transferred when they became freshmen, her popularity mixed with his acclaim from being on the school swim team. For many, it was the perfect match, but it wasn’t one that was meant to last.

“Out of the way, fag.”

Finn knew from his early teens he held crushes on boys and girls but he hadn’t admitted it openly to himself. After he came out to his family and friends, he took the chance to tell the truth to Suzanne in hopes that honesty would only make them stronger and that she would still want to go out with him. But instead, things went sour.

“How can I trust you now, Finn? You didn’t tell me you liked guys! How do I know you’re not going to be dicking off with one behind my back?”

Those were her exact words, words that put a hard rejection stamp on his heart, feeling it being kicked to the side of the road. The break-up tore away at him, the words haunting him, questioning himself if coming out was the right thing and if he’d find anyone who’d ever take the chance on him. Three weeks later, what then occurred was she got together with a member of the football team and the information got out. It spread through the jocks, then the rest of the sports teams. His best friend Matthieu, being on the football team, had gotten into a couple of fights with the other team members, but it didn’t do anything but throw oil on the flames.

Now, in his final year, all Finn wanted was to make it through in one piece, and he hoped that college wouldn’t be as soul-destroying as his last years of school.

A hand reached across the lunch table and laid on his in a warm gesture. “Ignore them.” Pulling her hand back and picking up the fork, the girl forked some of her salad into her mouth, chewing before continuing. “You still down for coming to Battle of the Bands tonight?”

“And be stuck in a room with a bunch of people who are going to be whispering shit behind my back?” He flicked away a notification on his phone he had no interest in before meeting the girl’s eyes. “Not sure I’d call that fun, Lis.”

“Come on, Finn! A handful of assholes shouldn’t stop you for wanting to go and live your life,” Lissie replied, jabbing her fork through a small tomato. “You’ve already heard Untangled Lights and you said you liked them. They are playing against some newcomers I think.” She must have been able to tell he wasn’t convinced as she put the fork down in the plastic container. “Please come? At least for me? I’ve been talking to one of the members of a band who is attending and we’re going to meet up at the gig.”

“Oh?” Finn asked, curiosity piqued just a little.

Lissie, his best friend since as long as he could remember, had started to put herself out there as a singer-songwriter. She’d written a couple of songs she had put out to stream and did a few local gigs at coffee shops. She had made a little name for herself but it was still early into this path she chose. He couldn’t really say no to her.

“He found my YouTube page after it got linked on the Facebook group for the event and we got talking.”

Finn raised an eyebrow. ”Found? Or stumbled on the breadcrumbs left for him?”

Lissie held her hands up. “You got me. But Finn! He wants to write a song with me. Do you know how much this means to me? Someone wants to write with me? And hopefully, perform it together? We haven’t talked about it, mind, but just the idea that another musician wants to collab has me absolutely psyched!” She clasped her hands in mock begging. “Please Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.”

“I regret letting you watch that film.”

“You owe me after making me watch all three in one night!”

“And I guess this is me having to play good on that favor?”

“You’ll be my best friend for life,” she added, sticking her tongue out at the end playfully.

“I’m already your best friend for life,” Finn smirked back in response. “But _fine_ , I’ll go.” He said it with a little hint of reluctance, but he knew he’d never hear the end of it if he didn’t give the girl the support she begged for. And he did want to support her. “It starts at eight, right?”

-

The hall of the competition was packed out. People of all ages were in the small venue, some chatting, some sitting, some swiping through phone screens, and some looking as lost as Finn felt. Matthieu had disappeared somewhere in hunt of getting the three of them some soda. Lissie was tapping away on her phone, clearly in conversation with the musician she had spent most of the day talking about. She had been right though. Whereas Finn did notice a few familiar faces, no-one really paid attention to him. If he was honest, it was kind of a relief.

Lissie had mentioned the person’s name as Mitch, a singer for a rock band. From what he had picked up from the Facebook page she had shoved in his face over lunch, he went to their high school, and was in their year. He didn’t recognize him, but with Finn’s popularity dropping to zero, the teen had avoided as much eye contact in the halls as he could. Getting from one class to another with as little attention as possible being drawn to him was all he wanted during school hours.

Without warning, there was a sharp cold sensation pressed against Finn’s neck, the wet chill making him jump, rolling his shoulders up to protect the exposed skin. “Fuck!” he yelped, turning around to be presented with the tall grinning jock. “Fucker!”

“Diet Coke good for you?” Matthieu asked as he offered the can he had just placed against Finn’s neck to him. “Queue was massive but there was an unoccupied vending machine upstairs that no-one seemed to know about. Let’s hope no-one else has my idea and it stays stocked for most of the night.” He reached out to give one to Lissie who was standing there, staring at her phone. “Hey! Lis! Disconnect!”

“What?” She looked at Matthieu, then at the can he held out to her, putting the phone away and taking the drink. “Thanks!” Popping the ring pull, she took a long swig before continuing. “He said their band is next. He’ll come down and say hi after they’re done.”

“What they called again?” Finn asked, his mind blank all of a sudden.

“Frantic,” Lissie answered.

“Oh, I’ve heard of them!” Matthieu piped up. “One of the girls in my English class knows the drummer. She’s shown me one or two songs. They’re pretty good!”

“This is going to be _amazing_!” the brunette girl squealed, turning back to face the stage as the announcer thanked the current band for playing. Both boys could see the excitement bubbling in her, wondering if she liked this band more than she was letting on.

Heads turned in follow of hers as people took notice in the change of act. A couple of them started cheering and chanting even before the man on stage had finished introducing the next band, giving Finn the impression that Frantic were a bit more known than he originally considered. 

As the lights dimmed again, the crowd roared as teens came walking onto the stage, taking their places on the low lit platform. A few guitar riffs were strummed that got the crowd even more excited, with Finn feeling the vibration from the speakers running from his feet all the way up to his chest. It got him in the mood, the buzz from the jeering crowd, and his heart beating in time with the drum bass.

“Are you ready?!”

Another cheer from the crowd, this time the three friends joining in. The question was repeated, and the cheer was louder, nearly the whole venue on their feet and facing the stage. It was only then that the lights started to flash, erupting into the first song. It didn’t take long for Finn to start nodding to the track, his full attention grabbed by the attractive vocalist on the stage, his voice, the lyrics, and his presence capturing him. When he noticed a familiar swelling in his pants, he pulled himself out of the trance, looking around him with slight panic.

‘ _Why here? Why now? Why him?_ ’

Closing his eyes, he tried to calm his body, his mind flashing a mixture of random objects, places, faces of people, and a couple of things that would turn him off, trying to stop whatever reaction his body was having. It was not the place to have an awkward boner.

The hand that clapped him on the shoulder startled him. “You okay, bud?” Matthieu asked, looking down at him with concern. “You look like you’re zoning out.” 

“I’m fine, honestly,” Finn responded before deflecting Matthieu by joining in with the cheers of the crowd. He tried not to focus on the singer with his handsome good looks and his medium-length dark hair shaping his face, his smirk that flashed up now and then that sometimes the teen felt like it was for only him.

‘ _Fuck, am I crushing on this guy already?_ ’

No, he couldn’t be. He had never heard of the band before tonight, never mind the singer that fronted it. It was just the excitement of the gig and the rush of adrenaline. That’s what he was going to tell himself.

When the short set of five songs came to an end, the lights came back up, giving the crowd a clear view of the stage and for Finn, a clear view of the lead singer. He talked to the host, addressed the crowd a few times, gave some promotional information and then the four of them left the stage, leaving for the next band to perform. 

“That was pretty sweet!” Matthieu was the first to compliment, looking between his two friends. Lissie was already back on her phone typing away and Finn nodded in agreement, his lips pursed. 

“Yeah, not bad actually! Do you know if they are on YouTube or anything?”

“They have an EP on Spotify, I’m sure. I’ll link you to it,” Lissie offered. Her phone buzzed in her hand as she finished speaking and her eyes lit up. “So Mitch is going to come down once he’s had the chance to sort stuff out backstage. He asks if we want to hang out?”

“I gotta head in a bit,” Matthieu informed, his tone apologetic. “I said I’d be back to watch my sis since moms on night shift and dad is out of town.”

Lissie nodded in understanding. “Finn?” the girl asked, turning to him.

“Uh… s-sure… that’d be cool!” His answer was a little shaky, nervous at the potential embarrassment he might cause himself if he ended up flustered around the other student. What had happened during his set-piece Finn did not want a repeat of in person. “I’ll text you later, okay?” the teen said to the taller jock before Matthieu excused himself, making his way through the crowd, hand-clapping with a few guys he had spotted on his way to the exit.

“Finn, follow me,” Lissie instructed, a small wave of her hand to beckon the boy to follow her as the two of them made their way to the back of the venue hall. “He said to wait by the emergency exit at the rear. That way it’s easier to find each other.”

“Makes sense…”

Gathered by the fire doors, the two friends stuck close, watching people wander throughout the halls to the toilets, the bar or the upstairs seating. Finn fidgeted with his snapback, pulling the buttons on the back open and snapping them back on as he watched Lissie flick through her Twitter account, patiently waiting.

“Lissie, right?” The voice came before either of the two friends noticed the student approaching them, hands slipped into the pockets of his jeans, the dark Metallica shirt ruffling slightly as he walked. Finn’s mouth quickly became dry as his eyes soaked up the beautiful man, his mind going places he really wasn’t ready for.

‘ _Behave._ ’

“Mitch! Hey!” Lissie perked up, phone instantly being pocketed as her full attention became centered on the older boy. “ _Your_ set tonight was on fire! You guys sounded absolutely _amazing_!”

“Thanks! It was pretty dope,” Mitch answered before looking at Finn, flicking a finger to point at him. “Finn, right?”

“Y-yeah?” Finn replied, looking over to Lissie with a panic in his eyes. “How-how did you…?”

“Dude. I think the whole school knows who you are,” the singer responded.

‘ _Shit._ ’ That was all he needed, that he no longer required an introduction, that everyone knew his name since being outed, the whole school likely talking about him behind his back. Even though he figured that was going on, Mitch recognizing him and knowing who he was just validated it even more.

“Oh,” Finn responded, taking an uncomfortable step back from the two of them.

“Hey, dude! Sorry, it’s cool. I’m not here to judge.”

“Bit of a dick move though,” Finn commented quietly, his eyes looking over to Lissie for support. 

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel weird,” Mitch apologized half-heartedly before turning to Lissie. 

“Finn’s my best friend Mitch. If you can do me a favor and treat him with a bit more respect, I’d appreciate that,” the girl requested, taking a step back to stand next to Finn, arms crossed. 

Holding his hands up, Mitch nodded his head in acceptance. “Okay, okay, yeah, I’m sorry. That was douchey of me. Let’s try again.” Putting his hands down, Mitch offered a hand out to Finn. “Hi, my name’s Mitch, lead singer of Frantic.”

Finn looked at the hand outstretched to greet him. Reaching out, he took it and gave it a shake, his gaze traveling around the man’s arm, up to his shoulder, and reaching his face, catching the small smirk on the singer’s lips. “Finn,” he said softly.

“Cool.”

Wasn’t the best introduction, but Finn left it there. 

“Listen,” Mitch continued, finger touching his forehead for a moment, thinking. “I’ve got things to do here but I want to fix this. So how about we get together tomorrow, just the three of us? We can talk, do this again and maybe get some shit down. Lissie,” he said as he turned to direct his conversation to her, “You have a great voice and your songwriting is pretty sick. I would love to write a song with you. I think it could be a sweet opportunity for us both.”

“It’s cool, I don’t need to be-”

Mitch interrupted Finn’s attempt to excuse himself. “Bro, no. I need to make up for being a dick back there. I want you to be there. You look like a decent guy and I think right now, it would be cool to know you for more than them shitty rumors floating around school.”

Finn squinted, raising an eyebrow, feeling a little irked though he was trying to tell himself that Mitch was attempting to patch things up. All he knew is that the senior was digging a bigger hole. That crush he had was quickly disappearing. “Yeah, sure,” he answered. 

‘ _This is for Lissie, not you._ ’

-

Mitch’s way of fixing things was a little more extravagant that Finn expected. He thought maybe they’d get a coffee or something, just sit and chill and chat, but when he arrived at where he had agreed to meet Lissie, she filled in the blanks.

“Pizza Hut? Really?”

The girl nodded. “His idea. Says he felt like a real dick all night. I will not kid you Finn, he asked me three times if he thought that pizza might cheer you up.”

“Huh…” Finn said, a little surprised.

“What?” Lissie questioned, turning her head to meet his gaze as they walked.

“I’m just… surprised… I guess?” Finn answered, scratching his neck a little uncomfortably. “I just… I didn’t expect it to bother him so much.”

“It’s probably a reputation thing. He is in a band. Last thing he needs is people talking about how he treats others.”

“Doubt right now anyone would care what I say,” Finn huffed as he thrust his hands into his pockets, dulling his own mood.

“Finn, really, you gotta stop doing that!” Lissie snapped, her voice a mix of empathy and frustration. “I hate seeing you put yourself down like this. I care what you say. Mattie and Benji care, and many others probably do too. You’re bisexual. But you're not the only one. The guys on the football team are just dumb jocks.”

Finn went to retaliate, but instead, he closed his mouth, choosing not to press the conversation any further. He knew she was trying to be supportive, but it wasn’t as easy as ignoring someone for picking on you cause you fell asleep in class or got a question wrong. This was a part of who he was, and right now he was the only queer kid that he knew of at the school. Yeah, there were rumors but they were all vehemently denied by those they were directed towards and there was no evidence to back them up. 

As they approached the restaurant complex, the two friends spotted Mitch hanging around one of the bins, puffing away on a cigarette. As soon as he spotted the two of them, he stubbed the cigarette out and made his way towards them, popping some chewing gum in his mouth. 

“Just so you know,” Lissie whispered, “he also said he’s paying so don’t be an ass.”

“Seriously?”

Before he could say any more, Mitch was upon them, flashing them both a friendly smile. “You guys made it!” he said with a chipper tone, turning to walk between them, putting his arms around both Finn and Lissie. “A healthy compliment to start the day. You, Lissie, are looking stunning in that outfit,” he said, a small half-smile tugging the side of his lips. “And you Finn, you look damn cute in that snapback.” 

“Someone’s pulling out all the stops to make up for last night,” Lissie commented in jest, looking around Mitch to Finn who was smiling back, unsure what to say. He let Mitch lead the way with his arm around his neck until they reached the entrance to the complex, the older boy dropping his arms to open and hold the door for them. “You told him it was my treat, right?”

“She did, and I appreciate it,” Finn answered politely, watching the smile on Mitch’s face grow.

“Awesome!”

As the three of them arrived at the restaurant, Finn followed behind Lissie and Mitch, listening to them chatter away about the gig from the previous night and what ideas they had come up with since then. Mitch really wanted to write the music to something that Lissie would come up with, something working as a duet that they could record together. At least, that’s as much Finn picked up from his careful listening.

Sitting at the offered table, Lissie and Finn took a seat next to each other with Mitch sitting across from Lissie. Mitch had already decided he was treating them to the buffet that was on as it felt the easier option than to have them each order separately. They each went to the salad bar first, Lissie giggling away at Mitch as Finn watched the two of them while he filled his bowl, grabbing a drink before making his way back to the table first.

Looking at the bowl in front of him, Finn’s stomach sank. As he looked over to the salad bar, he noticed a connection between Lissie and Mitch which made the teen feel quickly like a third wheel, that maybe Mitch needed Finn to be there in order for Lissie to go, as he was clearly into her. It was abundantly clear by the way he made her giggle and gushed over her talent.

When they came back to the table, their conversation continued, Finn picking through the salad bowl while reading updates on his social media, only looking up when he was addressed occasionally on some memory Lissie had brought up. So when his best friend excused herself to the bathroom, Finn was left with an awkward feeling sitting at the table with the older high-school boy.

“How long have you guys known each other?”

“Since Kindergarten. Our parents got on and we just stuck since then really,” Finn responded, not feeling like going into detail. He knew exactly where this was going.

“Cool I mean, she’s really lucky to have a friend like you who supports her.”

 _‘Jesus fucking christ dude, you’re so lame. I can see right through you._ ’

It was as clear as day. Big up the best friend so that he puts in a good word for Mitch to Lissie of how nice he is. Finn wasn’t stupid; he’d had the same tricks played on him from time to time from any guys interested in Lissie, regardless of the reason they liked her, from her dad’s business to the way she sings love songs on stage. 

“Sometimes I wish I had a friend like you.”

“Huh?” The words caught Finn’s attention, slightly off to what he had expected to hear next. “Me?”

Mitch shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong, I have my own friends. Just none of them talk about me as passionately as she talks about you. It’s really cool.” 

“Oh jeez, uh…” Finn was lost for words, trying to think of a quick reply as his cheeks heated from the compliment. “I mean, she’s just my friend. I’d d-do any-anything for…”

‘ _Shit. He got me!_ ’

“Thanks,” the younger student settled, swallowing down his nerves as best he could. The icy blue orbs that looked straight back at him felt locked on him, though for how cold they looked Finn felt the warm emotion emanate from them. He was almost glad when Lissie came back and broke whatever spell Mitch had almost got him under. 

“I’d have thought you’d have pizza on your plate by now?”

“Good idea, I’ll go get some!” It was said in a rush as Finn pushed himself up from the table, spotting the slightly disgruntled look from his friend. As he did, he shook the near-empty glass of soda. “Need more Coke.”

Sliding two pieces of pepperoni pizza to a plate and refilling his glass, Finn looked discreetly back over to the table, watching the two of them talk between each other. The excitement in Lissie was evident from the way she talked with her hands about her ideas, small touches to Mitch’s arm when she looked like she was ready to burst. The way Mitch smiled back at her, running his hand through his hair and nodding showed he was engaged and interested. Who knew, maybe he was just passionate about his music and trying to venture out of the band a little bit?

‘ _I shouldn’t be so harsh on him_.’

As the three of them ate, Finn got involved with the conversation. It left the subjects of writing music and the gig and moved to other interests. Mitch had a passion for mobile games that Finn tried to indulge with, but when he learned he meant puzzle games with fruits, he backed out pretty quickly. 

“Don’t knock Zooscapes. It’s a pretty fun little game. I don’t really care for the building a zoo part but the puzzles are good!” 

“You can get back to me when you’ve mastered an FPS. Then we can have a gaming night.” Finn snorted back at Mitch. 

“Famous last words,” Mitch responded with confidence. Finn wasn’t sure Mitch knew what FPS was, considering he might have been bluffing. If he was, he was good at it.

As the day progressed and the three of them ate themselves full of pizza, Finn started to feel a little more comfortable around Mitch. He noticed his crush was still there as he caught the young man’s smile a couple of times, sometimes aimed at Finn himself. Lissie was still on a high as the two of them kept bouncing back experiences which were followed by a suggestion about writing about said experience. And, true to his word, when the bill came Mitch paid the full amount, and tipped, no questions asked. 

“So what’re your plans for tonight?” Mitch asked before downing the remaining of his drink, continuing before either Finn or Lissie could answer. “There’s a party that one of the guys in the band knows down on Cedar avenue if you fancy going? I could get you in with no probs.”

Lissie looked at Finn and he could tell she was going to back out. “I’ve already got stuff planned so it’s a hard pass from me,” she said with an apologetic smile. Finn assumed that with Lissie backing out, Mitch would just leave it there and go on his own. But that wasn’t happening this time.

“How about you, Finn? I can drive you back if you want?”

Finn choked on air for a second, not expecting the invite. “Wait, are you sure?” He looked immediately to Lissie, seeking some unneeded approval from her since he was her friend first. She reeled back, eyes widening a little, a confused expression as she shrugged a _I don’t know, do whatever_ shrug. “Yeah! I’ll go. I guess it will be sweet to hang out some more?”

-

‘ _This isn’t a date, this isn’t a date, this isn’t…_ ’

No matter how much he told himself it wasn’t a date, Finn couldn’t stop himself from going the extra mile. His hair was styled perfectly, he looked out his best sneakers, he made sure he was groomed to look his best, all for a guy he’d only really just met the day before. A pair of dark ripped jeans and his favorite tee, coupled with a denim shirt on top and he was ready.

‘ _This is fucking stupid._ ’

He knew it was, but he couldn’t help himself. He wanted to make an impression, and it wasn’t even for Lissie’s sake. There was something about the way that Mitch looked at him back in the restaurant that told Finn something was there, something that Mitch wasn’t openly signaling but definitely sitting under the surface. The light flirting was subtle and easily missed but Finn captured it all.

‘ _Why would he just invite me to a party without Lissie?_ ’

That was his justification for going without her, betting his whole night on that one condition. Mitch was in this to write music with his best friend, so if he didn’t have some interest in Finn, why ask him to go out? Yeah, there was the worry that Mitch might use him to get closer to Lissie but Finn pushed those concerns aside. Tonight was _his_ night.

Telling his brother that he was staying with Matthieu was his alibi for the night as he waited at the end of the road for a sign of Mitch's car. They had swapped numbers and the older boy had said he was on his way. The air around him was scented with the Hollister aftershave Finn had sprayed on before leaving as he dug his hands into his back pockets, casually waiting. Well, as casual as he could since he had swapped where to put his hands several times since leaving the house.

‘ _I need to calm down._ ’

When Mitch arrived, he flashed his headlights to indicate it was him, signaling for Finn to get inside the car. Doing so, Finn saw the boy had changed too, wearing dark jeans, a well-worn metal band tee, and an open zipper jacket. There was a hint of cigarette smoke and the window was down, but that didn’t deter the teen.

“Looking good!” Mitch commented as Finn closed the door, putting the seat belt on. “Didn’t have to go all out for little old me,” he said in a teasing tone that instantly got Finn flustered. 

“J-just wanted to look my best!”

The drive to the party wasn’t as awkward as Finn had thought it might have been. They talked about hobbies and interests, and when he braced himself to tell Mitch about his passion for space, the older boy listened, paid attention, and even asked a few questions which only fed Finn’s crush further.

Arriving at the party, Mitch took the lead into the house, fist-bumping and hand-clapping a few people as he went in. Most of them, Finn didn’t recognize, some of them looking older than the two of them. There was one or two he recognized from school, and it made him nervous that someone might say something, but as he went past them, they greeted him with as much vigor as they did with Mitch, making the youth feel welcomed at the moment.

‘ _This isn’t so bad_!’

“Here,” Mitch said as he thrust a red cup of beer into Finn’s hands. “Drink up!” he added as he swung his arm around the young man’s shoulders, guiding him over to where a group of guys were standing. “Guys, this is Finn. He’s a friend of that girl I showed you on YouTube the other day.”

“Hey man,” one of the taller boys greeted with a bright smile, holding his fist out for Finn to meet with his own. “Good to have you here.” Finn completed the gesture, watching as another boy piped up, nodding the bottle towards Mitch.

“You never told us you had a boyfriend. Looks too good for you, Rust!”

The statement got Finn’s back up quickly. He didn’t recognize the other boy, his mind filtering through a catalog of faces back at school. The boy looked older than the rest of them, potentially of college-age, so he assumed there was a chance that he wasn’t someone he’d ever crossed paths with but how did he know about Finn’s sexuality? Or...

“Fuck you, Brett! No-one’s too good for me. I’m a fucking catch, man!” Mitch bigged himself up, thumbing his chest twice in bravo before addressing Finn. “Don’t worry man, he’s just fucking around.”

“He’ll be fucking _you_ around if you’re not careful, kid!” There was a rise of laughter between the small group as Brett gave Mitch a playful punch on the shoulder, Mitch cursing his name through his snorting. Blushing, Finn’s eyes darted between all their faces, laughing awkwardly before downing the beer cup in one, anything to disguise his embarrassment. 

“Another?” Mitch asked, noticing the empty cup.

“Yeah, sure.”

Cocking his head towards the kitchen area of the house, Mitch led the way, a cat-calling of suggestive comments about Mitch and Finn being a thing following them, Mitch giving the group of boy’s the finger while Finn scurried behind trying not to look as shy as he was feeling. 

“They’re just messing,” Mitch said as he opened the large fridge, pulling out two of the bottles from the overstacked container. He popped the cap off and handed one to Finn before doing his own. “Brett’s a bit of a shit-stirrer. Loves to wind people up. Don’t let what he says get to ya.”

Silently, Finn nodded, too busy noticing how Mitch was acknowledging him one-on-one without Lissie being about. He took a drink from the bottle to give him time to put words together. “It’s cool. He seems a good guy.”

“Hey, remember, you’re my boyfriend, not his,” Mitch jeered as he gave Finn a slap on the arm in good jest. Again, Finn took a drink from the bottle to try and shield his awkwardness, quickly noticing the pattern of his drinking since arriving.

‘ _I’m going to end up wasted at this rate._ ’


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn wakes up at the party in an awkward situation while Mitch tries to say on Finn's good side. But does Mitch have a bigger plan?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was fun to write Finn waking up next to a boy he was crushing on and see how he reacts. Poor kid is a light-weight. he needs to stop trying to impress people and just admit it! It was interesting to write Mitch and Finn's interaction for the day, but trust me, this is all just a slow climb. I hope you like it!
> 
> If you haven't done so already, remember to hit subscribe for updates!

**CHAPTER 2**

“You don’t think she’ll mind, do you?”

“Did you tell her that you liked her? Or did she tell you she liked you?”

“Does it matter?”

“... I guess not?”

The dark-haired boy moved in for a kiss. The younger boy pulled back.

“But she’s my best friend. I don’t want whatever _this_ is to fuck things up between us.”

“Finn, I can’t help who I’m attracted to. And I’m attracted to you.”

“I get that Mitch, but I’ve been friends with Lissie forever. I can’t just mess shit up for you.”

“Can you believe these two?”

There was a voice that Finn didn’t recognize, looking around him for the source, noticing that Mitch didn’t seem to acknowledge it. “Did… did you hear that?”

“Mitch sure does pick them,” came another voice.

“Huh?”

-

Finn opened his eyes to the blinding light, his vision blurry as he shielded his view, rubbing the back of his hand to press against the strain on his eyes. Stretching lightly, he heard the chatter of two boys, the source of the voices in his dream, hearing the footsteps as they walked away from where he lay. He gathered his bearings for a moment, rolling slightly until he felt the obstruction to his left. 

“What the…” 

It took a few seconds to realize that his head was not resting on a pillow, and he wasn’t lying on a bed. Instead, he was lying on a couch, and his head was lying on Mitch’s chest, the man still softly snoring in slumber. With panic, the teen pushed himself back and fell off the edge of the couch, crashing to the hardwood floor, objects rattling on shelves around the room.

Mitch stirred where he lay, the thud dragging him from his sleep. He didn’t say a word, only yawning as he stretched out on the couch with a satisfied groan, bones clicking as he put the strain on his body. “What was that?” the youth mumbled before opening his eyes just as he saw Finn get to his feet. “Good morning, hot stuff,” the older boy said with a smirk.

The fall had set off Finn’s stomach, the contents sloshing around as he rushed to his feet. How much he had drunk, Finn wasn’t sure, though the fact he couldn’t remember going to sleep and how he managed to be snuggling up with Mitch was a bit of a giveaway. 

‘ _Oh shit, I’m gonna hurl…_ ’

Darting in the apparent direction to the bathroom, he made his way upstairs, taking two steps at a time. He slipped on one, using his hands to break his fall, and he felt his stomach unsettle even further. Scrambling his way up, he spotted the door conveniently marked _bathroom_ and pushed himself inside, praying to all the Gods that no-one was there. And, just in time, he managed to hit the toilet bowl before he threw up.

‘ _Fucking great._ ’

Running the cold water tap after flushing, he washed his hands before cupping his hand to take a drink and wash his mouth out. There was a bottle of mouthwash sitting on a shelf that he dared to take a small amount of, just enough to rinse through his mouth and freshen his breath up. Staring at the mirror as he did so, he cursed inwardly at how much of a loser he must have looked like in front of Mitch, now wishing he could just escape out the house without being seen.

Coming out, Finn became startled just as someone was about to knock on the door. He recognized it as one of the guys he met when he first came to the party, but the man’s name escaped him entirely. 

“Hey, buddy, you okay?”

“Yeah, just… needed to throw up.”

“We heard,” the man said, giving Finn a comforting pat on the arm. “You were on blast last night! You’re a pretty fun guy! Don’t worry about throwing up, though. Happens to the best of us.”

The words were consoling, to say the least, making Finn feel a little better about his predicament. He half expected people to be talking behind his back, something he had gotten used to in high school, but it was refreshing to see that these college-level guys were above all that bullshit.

“Finn, in here!” Mitch called as Finn made his way down the stairs. “Get some food in you.”

“Is that wise?” Finn asked, assuming Mitch knew as well that he had just tossed his cookies.

“It will make you feel better. Just take it slow.” The older boy patted the table where there was a bowl of Cheerios waiting for Finn. 

“Cereal?”

“I don’t trust anything in the fridge.”

“Hey!” One of the boys called from the other room. “I heard that you jackass.”

“And you know it’s true after last time!” Mitch called back as he sat on the chair across from Finn, a half-filled glass of water in front of him. Taking a sip, Mitch leaned back in the chair, watching as Finn spooned through his cereal. “He still swears that the bacon and sausages he cooked for me were in date, but damn did I do a you for a few days straight. It wasn’t a pretty sight.”

“Sounds rough,” Finn responded as he took the first spoonful of his cereal, a small one to test the delicacy of his stomach. The last thing he wanted was to be firing hoops into the toilet bowl.

“How do you feel? You look busted.”

Finn snorted. “I feel it.” He put the spoon down in the bowl for a bit, taking a moment to gather some courage for his next question. “Did… anything happen last night?”

“Happen?” Mitch asked, taking a sip from the glass, eyes fixed on the other teen across from him. “Do you mean when you tried to kiss me in front of everyone?” 

As soon as he said, he regretted, watching as Finn’s face morphed into panic and horror at the potential thought of what he might have done the night before. Mitch wasn’t blind to the torment the younger boy had gone through at school, and his flirty behavior backfired on him. 

“Shit, Finn, I’m sorry. I didn’t- I didn’t mean that. Nothing happened.” He was trying to reassure the fellow student, observing his reactions. “You just had a lot to drink too fast. You were a blast to talk to, and everyone thinks you’re cool. Then you passed out on the couch. I said I’d stay there with you to make sure you were okay in case you woke up sick. You just happened to get comfy lying against me, which was no big deal.”

Finn swirled the spoon in the cereal, letting his heartbeat return to a more natural pace, not sure if he had the appetite to get through the rest of the meal. “You promise? Cause dude, I don’t think I can take another day of shit about me being into guys.” There was a sudden click in his head, and he couldn’t believe he was about to say what was on his mind. “And Lissie won’t like it either.”

As if the mention of his best friend’s name sealed the deal, Mitch sat up straight and gave Finn a solidified answer. “I swear Finn, nothing happened. It was just a fun night, nothing more.” He took a drink from the glass, finishing the remains before he pushed himself up from the table. “You finished with the cereal?”

Nodding, the teen pushed the bowl towards the other boy. “Yeah. I don’t think I can stomach anymore.”

“You ready to go?”

Finn countered. “You alright to drive?”

“I didn’t have anywhere near as much as you,” Mitch answered as he gave a cheeky, playful smirk to compliment his response. “I’ll drive you back to your place. Grab your stuff, and we’ll go when you’re ready.” 

-

Winding the window down, Finn made sure he took slow, steady inhales of breath through his nose as he did his best not to have a second wave of vomit. The radio was blaring some heavy metal band, music that suited the style that Mitch portrayed in his music and dress sense. He seemed happy enough to tap and drum at the wheel, leaving Finn to focus more on keeping his tummy settled than make conversation.

‘ _I’m such a fucking dick._ ’

Pulling Lissie out as a defense card felt shitty. He knew that Mitch was into her from all the questions he had asked about her, both at the restaurant and at the party, but he also knew he basked in the idea of being Mitch’s boyfriend when the older boy’s friends teased him about it. He liked the sound of it, even if they said it in jest. 

‘ _I can’t believe I got wasted just to impress him!_ ’

He was pretty sure that’s why he had drunk so much. It wasn’t the first time he let nerves get the better of him and clung to alcohol to give him courage. He had done the same to Matthieu once, going as far as to embarrass himself in front of his friend’s family by crying over some girl who didn’t exist because he couldn’t admit his feelings about their son.

And now, here he was again, feeling stupid for showing off to try and get a boy to notice him, only to wind up with the hangover of regret. 

‘ _I’m such a stupid dick…_ ’

“Hey,” came the driver’s voice, the sound of the radio being switched off with the click of a button. “You’ve been quiet. You okay?”

“Yeah… just… trying not to throw up,” Finn lied.

“Do you wanna stop at the mart and get some water or something?”

“Is that okay?” Finn questioned, looking over to Mitch. “I’m not taking you out your way?”

“Nah, it’s cool. I’ll just take the turning off towards fifth, and I’ll stop at Walgreens. I could do with something myself.”

“Thanks.”

“No sweat!”

When he pulled into the parking lot, Mitch gave Finn some reassuring statement before getting out of the car, leaving the teen to wait. He had no idea what the older student had said, not paying any attention, too distracted by the bubbling of his stomach. Once he had disappeared into the shop, Finn reached into his pocket and grabbed his phone, surprised that the device was still clinging to life with the seven-percent battery it had. 

The notification bar was littered with different chat and social media icons. One of them was from Grindr of a guy he had been talking to, a carpenter in his thirties who seemed to be interested in hooking up but was always too busy with work or his dog or some other bullshit excuse. Though, Finn was sometimes glad the man had made excuses since he lacked the courage to go through with the meet either. Even though he hadn’t ignored the messages on purpose, the night was enough to keep him from having to deal with whatever the carpenter was trying to promise this time. 

Checking WhatsApp, there were several messages from his mother (God forbid the day his sister taught her how to use the app), asking questions about where he was, when he was going to be home, and why he wasn’t answering his messages. He wasn’t going to respond, swiping the notifications off his screen as he moved down the list. Lissie had tried to call, likely looking for gossip or something juicy, and even though he had the mother of all migraines, he pressed the call button and dialed.

“Your mom has been texting me, asking where you are.”

“Aw shit. I’m sorry… wait, how does she even have your number?”

He could almost hear Lissie roll her eyes. “Your eighteenth birthday? Where she had me practically plan a whole surprise for you?”

“What did you tell her?”

“That you probably forgot to charge your phone again. The usual.”

“Kinda true as my battery is almost dead.”

“Need me to come get you?”

Finn looked out towards the grocery market, keeping an eye for Mitch’s return. “Mitch is driving me back to mine.”

“What a gentleman! Taking his date back home.”

“Fuck you,” Finn laughed at his friend’s teasing.

“Want me to come to yours?”

“Yeah. Should be in by noon.” There was a beep as his phone gave him an audible warning about its lack of power. “Phone’s gonna die. I’ll see you later.” 

When he put the phone down, his eyes caught Mitch strutting out of the shop carrying a small bag with whatever he had bought in the shop. Watching, Finn noticed how the older boy walked with confidence in him, all cool and collected as if he hadn’t been partying till the early hours the night before. He certainly looked more alert and awake than Finn felt.

Once he reached the door, Mitch got inside, sitting the bag in his lap as he closed the door. Rummaging inside, he passed Finn a bottle of water along with a small packet of paracetamol. “Figured you might need something. Though you should probably eat something first.” He rummaged around again and revealed an energy bar which he also passed to Finn.

“Uh… thanks?” 

The response hadn’t meant to sound as ungrateful as it did, but Finn was more surprised at how far the other boy had gone to make sure he was okay. Considering they had only really met a few days ago, Mitch really _was_ going out of his way. But likely, this was just a ploy to impress Lissie. If they had gone to the party and Mitch had just ditched him, Lissie would think twice about working with the singer on a song. 

“Come on, do you honestly think Lissie would be happy if I just left you to suffer?”

And there it was. 

“I think,” Finn said as he uncapped the water bottle and took a wig, “that she’d be pissed if you abandoned me at some rando party on my own.” He wasn’t going to argue or complain. He knew all along there was an agenda to invite him, though Finn did consider that it might have been easier _not_ to have been asked in the first place. Why take the risk of screwing things up?

“Man,” Mitch sighed as he sank himself into the seat before opening the energy drink and taking a generous sip. “I’d hate to fuck things up this early. Writing a song with Lissie will be amazing. Everyone’s talking about her around school and beyond. Working with her will do fucking great things for Frantic!”

“What?” There was a silence between the two of them as Finn processed what Mitch had just said. The other youth hadn’t turned to address him, sipping away on his drink, almost looking like he was in some daydream after his admission. “Are you serious?” 

“Wha… yeah, of course! Working with Lissie will be great! I can’t wait to get started!” Mitch sounded overly hyped as if the energy drink literally fuelled him into a state of excitement. 

“No, the other bit, about it being good for your band? Are you just fucking using her?” Finn’s head throbbed from the hangover, and as his blood boiled, it didn’t help either. He felt himself get his back up, ready to have a fight with Mitch over the statement. “Is that all this is for you?”

“Finn, hon! Chill!” Mitch soothed as he turned in the seat to face the younger man. “It will be good for the band, and it will be good for her. It will be good for everyone,” he said calmly.

Inhaling, Finn repeated Mitch’s words in his head, trying to convince himself that it was just poorly-chosen words on Mitch’s part. It reminded him back when they met at the concert hall, wondering again if that was just poorly-chosen words, or if there was some truth behind how they came off. He was on edge, cautiously analyzing the situation, looking for the cracks in Mitch’s words where he might have a higher plan.

‘ _Why the fuck do I have the hots for this jackass?_ ’

-

At Finn’s request, Mitch dropped him off where he had picked him up the night before. Mitch had tried to grab his attention, asking if he was going to be alright, but Finn answered half-heartedly, still slightly miffed at the other boy. Approaching his house and walking up the drive, he heard the front door open to see his older brother standing in the doorway, likely from spotting him through the front window. 

“Mom’s royally pissed at you, kid.”

“Like I give a shit,” he grumbled as he trudged past Marc and darted up the stairs, heading straight for his room. He was in a mood, both from the migraine and Mitch’s talk in the car, souring his whole morning. His mom being angry at him was the least of his worries. 

Closing the door with more of a slam than intended, he emptied his pockets onto his bed, including the packet of paracetamol that Mitch had handed to him. Picking it up in a huff, he chucked it across the room, missing the bin badly as it skittered across the edges and landed somewhere behind his bookshelf. 

“Fuck.”

Dropping onto his bed, he reached down behind his computer desk and grabbed the phone charger, his phone now wholly dead and plugged it in, holding the power button and waiting with little patience for it to turn on. He stared at the screen, willing the loading screens to hurry along as he heard footsteps on the wooden floor, approaching his bedroom.

“Why haven’t you answered your phone?” The voice of his mother came as soon as the door swung open. “I’ve been trying to reach you all morning!”

“Yes, mom, I’m fine, thanks for asking,” he answered bluntly. “My phone’s dead,” he added as he waved the device in his hand, the charging wire wiggling underneath.

“Finnis, sweetheart, I don’t wanna fight with you-”

“Then don’t, mom,” Finn responded, irritated that his mother was using his full name against him. “I just forgot my charger, I didn’t sleep well at Mattie’s, and I feel sick from whatever we ate.”

“What did you eat?” She asked, her tone turning to sound concerned.

“Take out,” he lied.

It was amusing how quickly his mother could go from being mad at him to worried about him, so quick he was surprised she didn’t have whiplash. He always put it down to the carer in her, the loyal connector since her job was head nurse at the hospital both his parents worked at. It was her job to look after people, and she generally didn’t have a bad thing to say about most people, except when it concerned Finn. Anything his older siblings did was glazed over since he was always center stage out of the three of them.

“Sweetheart, can you just be a little more thoughtful next time and let me know you’re okay?”

The words almost made him cringe. The youth knew he should be more appreciative that he had parents who gave a shit about him and his dreams, unlike Matthieu’s, but when Finn felt like he was still on such a tight leash at eighteen, it was hard to value that level of adoration.

“Sorry, mom.” He wasn’t giving in, and he just knew when to time the apology just right so he’d get left alone. “Lissie’s gonna come over, so I’m just gonna lie for a bit, let my stomach rest.”

“Do you need anything?”

Finn eyed the spot where the box of tablets had landed before closing his eyes again. “No, I’ll be fine.” He felt the weight in the bed shift as his mother brushed her hand through his hair to clear a spot on his forehead, kissing it. After a gentle pat to his arm, she got up and left the room, closing the door as she left. 

When the coast was clear, the teen let out an irked sigh before tucking his arms under his pillow, his thoughts taking him back to his time with Mitch. Regret washed over him, the feeling of remorse from going to the party settling in and spoiling what he initially thought was a pretty decent night. The desperation to fit in and be part of something instead of just being known as the kid who liked kissing other boys had overwhelmed him, but now, was it _really_ just because he suddenly wanted to kiss another boy?

‘ _Stupid fucking crush. Why did it have to be so sudden? And for him?_ ’

No-one was going to give him that answer. He couldn’t explain it himself. Even after the egocentric statement Mitch had said in the car, though he saved himself afterward, Finn still felt his heart beat faster at the thought of seeing the singer again. No amount of mental putdowns was getting this boy off the pedestal that Finn had invited him to sit on in his head.

‘ _Fucking asshole…_ ’

-

The soft sound of a heavy metal track laced through the room as Mitch laid crashed on his bed in nothing but a Metallica tee and a pair of dark GAP boxers. Hair damp from the shower, he lay on his back, phone resting gently on his chest, waiting patiently for the next vibration of a notification. He’d struck up a conversation with Lissie over WhatsApp, hoping to make arrangements of when they could spend some time together. They had swapped a couple of ideas of stuff they could write about but hadn’t settled on anything concrete.

When the phone finally buzzed, the youth picked up the phone, the bright light almost blinding him as his eyes had settled into the dim-lit room. Swiping to unlock, he could already see the preview of the message, a frown decorating his features as he pushed himself up to sit with his back against the pillows.

 **LISSIE** : Did something happen to Finn last night?

He fired his response back almost instantly.

 **MITCH** : No why?

Waiting for the response, Mitch rewound the day in his head. There were a few points where Finn had gotten the wrong end of the stick, such as the joke at breakfast or the comment in the car, and, coming to think of it, he seemed a little moody when Mitch dropped him off. But had it upset him that much?

A new ping brought him back to his phone.

 **LISSIE** : He seemed moody. 

**LISSIE** : Blamed it on his stomach but he’s been wasted before and this is a different kind of moody. 

**LISSIE** : I know something is up but he won’t tell me.

Best he admit to a few things.

 **MITCH** : I made a shitty joke that came off wrong, and he seemed a little pissed in the car trip back but I didn’t think he was that upset. 

**MITCH** : I hope I haven’t upset him?

There was a short silence as Mitch watched the status, changing from just _Online_ to _Typing,_ then back to _Online_. It was the longest minute of the day until Lissie’s response finally arrived.

 **LISSIE** : He told me about that.

 **LISSIE** : But there’s something else that he’s not telling.

Something else? As far as Mitch knew, apart from the awkward morning, Finn had a pretty decent time. He got along with anyone who spoke to him, got involved. Maybe he had a bit too much too quick, but no-one had a bad word to say about him.

 **MITCH** : Some of the guys did joke that he was my new boyfriend but that was more to wind me up. 

**MITCH** : Think it might be that?

Again, another long minute.

 **LISSIE** : Maybe.

The youth dropped his phone into his lap and ran his hands through his dark hair, spreading his fingers out to comb through the tangled strands. He wasn’t sure what he could do here. He had no real hints other than what he already said that could be up with Finn, but those weren’t the case here, at least according to the girl who was his best friend. What could he do to help? Once again, he felt like he’d messed things up, just like he had done back in the concert hall. 

How could he put things, right?

 **MITCH** : Do you want me to text him?

 **MITCH** : I don’t want things to be awkward between us.

 **MITCH** : Us as in Finn and me. 

**MITCH** : And also you and me.

 **LISSIE** : I haven’t told him about us by the way.

Mitch took a moment to think before he responded.

 **MITCH** : I figured. 

Hooking up with Lissie after the concert was spontaneous. Neither of them had planned it. Hell, he hadn’t even expected it. But another chance meeting that night and the sparks were flying after weeks of flirting over text. It had been a quick, rushed meeting backstage where there were dressing rooms set up for the individual bands. Fifteen minutes tops before she had picked up her phone while getting ready, clearly telling Finn that she’d be right out, making up an excuse as to why she was holding him up.

But it was just like how Mitch liked it, risky and adventurous. Yes, he’d have preferred to draw it out so he could edge them both to the peak of pleasure, but neither really had the luxury of privacy. But the risk of getting caught with his pants down with her? That got his blood rushing so much that he couldn’t resist. The way she had covered her mouth when he went down on her was cute, though he was dying to hear what the girl sounded like when she could let go completely.

 **LISSIE** : I guess you can give it a shot.

 **MTICH:** Do you have his number?

Once Lissie had sent him Finn’s phone number, he switched to a new chat, adding Finn to his contacts and brought up the window. The avatar popped up of the teen in a bright blue snapback with some white writing he couldn’t make out on the body. He looked like he was outside somewhere at a beach, perhaps a vacation or day-out photo of some sort. He had a slim fitting vest on him that covered his shoulders and a cute expression that made Mitch smile.

“Here goes…”

-

Dinner had been awkward with his mother asking too many questions until his sister grabbed the attention for the night. Sneaking himself back upstairs unnoticed, Finn threw himself into a video game as a distraction for the evening. It wasn’t until after an FPS match that he noticed the notification on his phone of a waiting message. Picking it up, the WhatsApp message loaded. Finn didn’t recognize the telephone number, but the avatar was a dead giveaway to who it was. 

“Is he for real?”

The words were spoken with soft judgment as Finn thumbed the avatar to enlarge it. What he saw could only be described as bad Photoshop skills in an attempt to pass as edgy. Maybe it was real smoke that Mitch was blowing out, but the filters were so glaringly obvious that it just looked _cheap_.

‘ _I should fix that for him_.’

The message had arrived about half an hour earlier. It was just a single _Hey_ with no emoji, and no follow-ups, like the other boy had just sent it and decided to wait and see if he got a response. The status still said he was _Online_ , though Finn was pretty sure he wasn’t just sitting around waiting for his answer. 

**FINN** : Hey

A response came almost instantly.

 **MITCH** : You alright?

‘ _Fuck, he was waiting…?_ ’

 **FINN** : Yeah, just playing a game. You? 

**MITCH** : Yeah. Just chilling.

A burning question popped into his head. Though he already knew the answer.

 **FINN** : How did you get my number?

 **MITCH** : I asked Lissie for it.

 **FINN** : You asked?

 **MITCH** : Yeah. Wanted to see if you were okay after earlier.

Mentioning the event of this morning made his stomach churn again. It did come to mind that Mitch potentially had gone out of his way to get in touch with him, though? That was sweet, right?

 **FINN** : I guess I’m alright. I haven’t thrown up anymore and managed to eat something at dinner.

 **MITCH** : Did I do something to upset you?

The question caught him off guard. Staring at the screen, Finn sat in silence, contemplating his reply, if he wanted to be honest or lie about his response. He would type out an answer, then cancel it, doing it a few times until he settled on what he wanted to say.

**FINN** : No. I just got the wrong end of the stick, that’s all.

That’s what he was putting it down as— a simple misunderstanding between the two of them. Lissie seemed fine when she came over, and Finn had chosen not to talk to her about it, not wanting to spoil the chance of them working on the song together.

 **FINN** : I’m not mad. 

**MITCH** : Cool. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Sorry about your stomach. 

**MITCH** : I had a blast last night. We should do it again sometime. 

**MITCH** : Everyone’s been saying how dope you were.

 **FINN** : Really?

 **MITCH** : Absolutely

He felt some weight lift from his shoulders as he read the response over in his head. The fact that people hadn’t thought of him as just another loser was good for one thing, and that Mitch had checked in on him had brought some of that crush back out from hiding. 

**FINN** : Cool! I guess it’d be fun to hang out more.

 **FINN** : BTW, your avatar sucks. LOL

 **MITCH** : Hey, I thought it was pretty slick!

A chuckle escaped Finn’s lips as he got up from his computer and dropped onto his bed just next to him, already typing away a response with a bright smile on his face. He didn’t question his sudden change in mood, only that he knew this one boy was at the center of that change. They exchanged messages until it got late, the teen struggling to keep his eyes open and focus on the words until at some point he passed out, the phone lying on the bed as he dozed, a soft satisfied smile giving away his dreams.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback/comments are greatly encouraged and really inspire me to continue writing. I want to write more content so let me know your thoughts, no matter how small! If you are interested in keeping up to date when I add new stuff, you can find me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/gutterpupper).


End file.
